STORIES FROM THE WEB

Aussie Surfer Learns the Hard Way to Stay the Hell Away From Whales (Video)

Usually, when you think about all the dangers that lurk in the ocean for surfers, you’re thinking sharks. Then, after sharks, you think, maybe really big jellyfish, or possibly a deranged sea lion. You do not usually think of whales. After all, they’re mammals, we’re mammals—you’d think there would be some kind of mutual understanding there.

However, as one lucky Australian surfer recently found out, and as we’ve seen before, whales ought very much to be feared when heading out into the water.

That surfers’s name is Bishan Rajapakse. On the morning of Sunday, July 7, the 38-year-old doctor was surfing with a group of friends off Sydney’s Bondi Beach when a 40-foot humpback whale swam up to them. Rather than paddle away from the giant sea creature, the group paddled in close for a better look. Then, all of a sudden, the whale swatted the group with its tail, sending the group flying and knocking Rajapakse unconscious.

The lesson here? Don’t get too close to whales. They’re f***ing huge and they can mess you up.

Fortunately, the good doctor seems like a typical laid back surfer dude, so he’s probably not going to be going on any Moby Dick-like quests for revenge any time soon.